Addressing the media at Padmavathi Rest House, Naidu accused certain groups of misleading devotees by claiming a clean chit had been granted. “The SIT report clearly proves contamination in the ghee supplied, and any notion of a clean chit is baseless,” he said.

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), in its final charge sheet filed at Nellore Court, found vegetable oil, beta-carotene, and ester chemicals in the ghee supplied by Bhole Baba Dairy of Bhagwanpur, Uttarakhand. The report clarified that no animal fat was used, contradicting earlier National Dairy Development Board (NDDB) findings that suggested traces of animal fat. YSRCP senior leader and former TTD Chairman Bhumana Karunakar Reddy endorsed the CBI report, calling it a refutation of political misinformation.

Naidu further alleged that ghee tenders were awarded to firms lacking adequate production capacity, resulting in approximately 60 lakh kilograms of adulterated ghee being used, valued at around ₹250 crore. “About 200 million laddus were prepared with this ghee, compromising the sanctity of the temple’s prasadam,” he said.

The controversy traces back to 2022 when complaints were lodged regarding adulteration in laddu ghee. SIT investigations led to Bhole Baba Dairy being blacklisted. However, the dairy continued supplying ghee through other firms including Vaishnavi Dairy (Tirupati), Mal Ganga Dairy (Uttar Pradesh), and AR Dairy Foods (Tamil Nadu) during the tenure of former Chairman Subba Reddy.

Political reactions have been swift. Reddy performed a Srinivasa Prasada Ninda Parihara Homam, condemning statements from TDP leaders Chandrababu Naidu and Pawan Kalyan alleging that animal fat and fish oil were mixed in laddus. He emphasized that the CBI report confirmed no YSRCP leader was involved and criticized opposition parties for spreading misleading claims.

The Tirupati laddu prasadam, a tradition spanning over 300 years, serves more than 3.5 lakh devotees daily. Prepared in the temple’s kitchen (Pottu) following the traditional Dittam process, the recipe has evolved only six times over centuries, originally made with gram flour and jaggery syrup, later enhanced with almonds, cashews, and raisins.

The TTD has reiterated its commitment to transparency and vowed to ensure strict quality control for all future prasadam preparations.